Many folding devices have been developed into a variety of games, puzzles, toys and the like. In general, these devices include a plurality of flat, polygonal panels hinged together along common edges to permit accordian like folding of the panels into a variety of shapes and configurations in both flat and three-dimensional form. Included among these are those illustrated in various U.S. letters Pat Nos., including Stalker, 1,997,022 issued Apr. 9, 1935; Hopkins, 2,992,829 issued July 18, 1961; Behr, 3,518,785 issued July 1, 1968; Neale, 3,811,682 issued May 21, 1974; Lamlee, 3,971,156 issued July 27, 1976; Brinkley, D246,544 issued Nov. 29, 1977; Lamlee, 4,240,858 issued Dec. 23, 1980; Busse, 4,366,961 issued Jan. 4, 1983; and Engel, 4,735,418 issued Apr. 5, 1988.
Most of these prior art Pat Nos. comprise combinations of hinged-together, equilateral or isosceles triangles. Such combinations, including the Behr Pat. No. 3,518,785; the Neale Pat. No. 3,811,682; the Brinkley Pat. No. D246,544; the Hopkins Pat. No. 2,992,829; the Busse Pat. No. 4,366,961: and the Stalker Pat. No. 1,997,022 are arranged with hinge lines connecting individual triangular panels. However, at least some of these triangles are interconnected on three sides to adjacent triangular panels. Some of these are designed primarily to create three-dimensional forms including, for example, Busse 4,366,961 which is primarily designed for constructing a pyramid, or Lamlee 3,971,156 and 4,240,858 and Engel 4,735,418, which are designed to form hexa-flexagons, or Hopkins, which also discloses a means for creating polymorphic geometrical devices. In some of these devices, such as Enqel and Lamlee, equilateral triangles are initially secured along two edges as an intermediate step.
Because of the selection of the geometric shapes involved and because of the specific design considerations involved in each of these known prior art devices, such puzzles have limited utility. The arrangements into which these polygonal shapes may be arranged do not lend themselves to selective use as books, games, puzzles and displays which have the inherent appeal of applicant's invention.